Marcus Crispus

Marcus Crispus was King of the Volsci during the 4th century BC.

Biography
Marcus Crispus was born in Antium, Latium (now Anzio, Lazio, Italy) to the Volsci, a civilized Italic people who lived to the south of Rome. He rose to become their king, and he, like many kings before him, was a rival of the Roman Republic, as he was wary about the growth of Latin power in the north. In 397 BC, he declared war on the Hernici with the intent of conquering their small homeland; he also unwisely declared war on Rome, which prepared to conquer their Volsci rivals once and for all. Crispus succeeded in vassalizing the Hernici, but he was unable to stop the Roman invasion.